Jumped in the 4.5 this afternoon, was going to pick up the kids. Hit the key and the engine fired up. I thought it sounded like it spun up slower than normal, but not much. As I sat there and watched the oil pressure come up, it dawned on me that there was more than the brake light glowing in the dash - the generator light was glowing as well.

If I run the RPM's up a bit the light almost goes out, but is still dimly lit. As soon as I let off the gas the light comes back. I drove the 4.5 last night and noticed nothing unusual, all lights were bright and no idiot light illuminated.

The battery is a 6 year old Interstate, and I have been expecting it to give up the ghost. The generator light confuses me, I would expect it to lit (if it decided to) when there was a problem with the charging system (although judging by the many posts here, that is not necessarily the case), not a dying battery.

So what is the likely cause of the light - dying battery or brushes?

__________________
Mike Tangas
'73 280SEL 4.5 (9/72)- RIP
Only 8,173 units built from 5/71 thru 11/72

'02 CLK320 Cabriolet - wifey's mid-life crisis

2012 VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI...at least its a diesel

Non illegitemae carborundum.